New fund launched to support children’s mental health

Bridge the Gap Child Mental Health C.I.C – which supports children’s emotional literacy and mental health – has launched a new fund to help more families access early support.

The organisation, based in St Mary’s Gate, has established the Family Support Fund – a pot of £17,500 to subsidise support for eligible families who may otherwise be unable to afford its paid-for services.

The money was raised by founders and directors Jennifer Wyman and Nikki Webster, together with the wider Bridge the Gap team and supporters, at a fundraising gala held at Vaillant Live in March.

Jennifer said: “Having to turn away families who need support because of financial barriers is heartbreaking, which is why we created the Family Support Fund.

“Alongside our community work, we run a successful paid-for service, but we recognise that private support is not financially accessible to every family.

“This fund will enable more primary-school-aged children who are beginning to struggle to access early, relational support.

“It will help children understand and navigate their emotions, build emotional resilience and develop skills that can support their mental health throughout life.

“Early intervention should be available to every child who needs it.

“Emotional health must be a priority for our children, and we want to reach families before their difficulties escalate or they reach crisis point.”

Established in 2017, Bridge the Gap has supported thousands of children and their parents and carers through personalised emotional literacy and mental health support.

The organisation was awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award given to local voluntary groups in the UK – and is an established provider of emotional literacy support and training.

Its team also works with schools and other organisations to equip parents, carers and professionals with the knowledge and confidence to understand children’s emotional needs and respond effectively.

Nikki, a registered mental health nurse and Bridge the Gap’s clinical director, said: “We are incredibly proud of what we achieved through our gala dinner, and we would like to thank every person and organisation who supported us.

“The Family Support Fund will help children and families who would find it difficult to meet the full cost of our services.

“It will contribute towards one-to-one emotional literacy and mental health support, enabling more children to receive the right help at the right time.

“Our programmes are relational and paced according to each individual child’s needs.

“They give children a safe space to understand what they are experiencing and develop skills that can provide strong foundations for their future emotional wellbeing.”

To find out more about the Family Support Fund, including how to apply for subsidised support, click here.